One correspondent reported that during the recent broadcast of the 13th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Nona Hendryx gave a tribute to Dusty who was said to be battling cancer.

Rolling Stone magazine partly confirms the story by noting in its most recent edition that at the ceremony "Nona Hendryx offered a tribute to Dusty Springfield, singing Springfield's signature hit 'Son-of-a Preacher Man'. Springfield - who's yet to be inducted into the Hall of Fame - was unable to attend the ceremony due to illness."

A second correspondent, a journalist from Holland, in attempting to secure an interview with Dusty, was told that Dusty was sick and would be taking the year off.

I have no way of confirming Dusty's state of health, yet know that I would speak for all of her fans and admirers in wishing her the best in every aspect of her life. Perhaps if anyone has further news that they feel would be appropriate to share, and which would clarify these reports, they could e-mail me at hangingrock@hotmail.com

FEBRUARY 1998
FRIEND AND MANAGER, VICKI WICKHAM,
COMMENTS ON DUSTY'S "REMARKABLY GOOD SPIRITS"
The Monday, February 16 edition of the national news publication USA Today contained a brief story on Dusty in its "People" section. Entitled "Dusty Again Battles Cancer: Singer Springfield Refuses To Give Up", the piece ran as follows:

Singer Dusty Springfield is "in remarkably good spirits" despite a recurrence of breast cancer, says Vicki Wickham, her manager and longtime friend. Springfield, 58, best known for her '60s hits "I Only Want To Be With You," "Son-of-a Preacher Man," and "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me," battled the disease three years ago. "This past summer, she was getting pains in her chest area, and the doctor said it had crept back and spread to her bones," Wickham says. Springfield lives in the English countryside with her cat, Nicholas, "the love of her life," Wickham says. She is "far from bedridden and [is] taking it one day at a time," Wickham says. "The doctors are very optimistic."

Various London papers have also reported Wickham's positive comments on Dusty's handling of the situation: "I am amazed at her courage, but she loves life and she's not giving up yet . . . She is not in hospital but is receiving treatment and is recovering at home . . . Dusty is a real survivor but she has had to put everything on hold for now. She's very determined to fight this and hopes to start work on her next single as soon as she can."

Elton John, Neil Tennant (of the Pet Shop Boys), and Dusty's brother Tom, were reported to be among those supporting her during her treatment at London's Royal Marsden Hospital.

Earlier in the month the New York Post reported that in response to Nona Hendryx's tribute to Dusty at the 13th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Vicki Wickham, stated that "we have every expectation that Dusty's going to make a full recovery. But we're honored that the Hall wants to pay this kind of respect."

The article, entitled "Dusty Wins Honor And Awaits Own Induction," also noted that Nona Hendryx's tribute made Dusty the first non-inducted artist ever to receive a special tribute during a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony: "With Dusty Springfield - who is expected to be voted in next year - battling cancer, singer Nona Hendryx and Paul Shaffer's band performed the early Springfield hit, 'Son of a Preacher Man,' in her honor."

The January 30 issue of Entertainment Weekly, in its report on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, also mentioned Nona Hendryx's tribute to "the cancer stricken Dusty Springfield".

On the MTV website Nona Hendryx's introduction to her tribute to Dusty is noted: "Because of Dusty's condition at the moment it would be a wonderful thing to give her the feeling that people cared about her."

The site also states that Loser's Lounge, a monthly art event in New York City, did a tribute to Dusty by interpreting a number of her classic recordings.

During the February 9 Brit Award ceremony in London, host Ben Elton "stunned the audience" by announcing that "We had hoped that Dusty Springfield, that icon of music, would be here tonight. Sadly Dusty's management have asked us to convey her apologies and say she's very ill and courageously fighting a battle against cancer. I know everybody in the industry will send her our love and our very best wishes."

Dusty had been scheduled to present Bjork with the Best International Female award at the Brits ceremony.

FEBRUARY 1998
PETULA CLARK SINGS DUSTY'S PRAISES
Not exactly "latest" news, but in the January 17 edition of The London Times there was a feature article on singer Petula Clark. In this article both the author and Petula, refer to Dusty. Here's what is said by the author: "[Petula] has also long been an icon to gay men, rather as Dorothy Squires once was, and Shirley Bassey and Dusty Springfield are also. It's an interesting time for such women in British music. Bassey and Springfield share the honour of also being revered by a younger generation, the children of their original fans (in fact Bassey has just released a single with The Propellerheads) which endorses their retro appeal. Clark, if not at the forefront of this revisionism, was re-discovered during the recent easy listening trend, thanks chiefly to her 1964 hit Downtown. . ."

Later in the interview, the discussion moves to the role that personal upheaval can play in an artist's development and work: "Such ups and downs can be the very stuff that enhances a performer's emotional range. Take Marianne Faithfull. Or the aforementioned Dusty Springfield. 'Ah yes, well Marianne Faithfull is a complicated one, and she wears those ups and downs on her sleeve. But she's a different kind of lady from me. She was always a bit naughty, a bit saucy. Dusty is great. She's still around, and she's the best singer. I would love to sing with her, just get together and go for it. But she doesn't do a lot these days . . .'"

Thanks to David Torresen (creator of the wonderful Peggy Lee site Loving Lee) for alerting me to this article.

MARCH 1998
DUSTY HITS THE SPOT
While surfing the net recently I stumbled across the following reference to Dusty. It was with a long list of other "news" items collectively entitled "L.A. Getaway" and dated back to 1978! (The album being discussed is It Begins Again). The piece is written by Stephen Peeples and is part of a larger collection of newspaper articles on the web called "Rock Around the World."

Anyway, it's quite an interesting snippet, though how accurate it is, I have no idea (Roy Thomas Baker is, after all, credited as the album's producer so he can't have "quit" as the article states). One thing's for sure, Dusty appears to have a painfully "accurate" aim! Read on to see what I mean . . .

STUDIO FOLLIES: Despite problems between Dusty Springfield and her producer Roy Thomas Baker, her next album is finally nearing completion. Seems Baker was dissatisfied with a vocal on one track, and Dusty disagreed with his suggestion for improvement. Climaxing the ensuring verbal warfare, Dusty grabbed a tennis ball (which inexplicably was floating around the control room) and fired it at Baker, nailing the dude square in the nuts. Pardon me while I wince. Not surprisingly, Baker quit on the spot, and Dusty wheeled around to her engineer: "You're hereby producing these sessions!" There wasn't any argument, and the album is due sometime this month.

APRIL 1998

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUSTY
The big news of April is, of course, Dusty's birthday--celebrated on April 16. With countless other fans and admirers, I wish Dusty a very happy birthday and every happiness for the years ahead.

MAY 1998

NEW COMPILATION ALBUM RELEASED IN THE UNITED STATES
Mercury Records has released a compilation album in the United States entitled The Very Best of Dusty Springfield. This single CD draws its material from Dusty's sixties heyday and is obviously targeted at those consumers unwilling to purchase last year's 3 CD boxed set - The Dusty Springfield Anthology. The track list of The Very Best of Dusty Springfieldis as follows: